Blazers Drop Road Game at Dean in Double OT

FRANKLIN, MA – The Elms College men's soccer team dropped a tough road game at Dean in GNAC play. The Blazers fell 2-1 in double OT on a controversial penalty kick.  

THE BASICS:

Score: Elms 1 – Dean 2

Records: Elms (2-1), Dean (2-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Dean opened the scoring in the 23^rd minute taking a 1-0 lead. Elms had a great chance in the 41^st minute when Dean was whistled for a foul just outside the box. Sophomore Dante Polletta (Prospect, CT) stepped up for the free kick and sent the ball around the wall, but the Dean keeper was up to the task and made the save to keep the Bulldogs in front 1-0 heading into halftime.

The Blazers knotted the score in the 57^th minute when Polletta fired a shot from 30 yards out and bent the ball into the right corner to make the score 1-1. The play was set up by a nice volley from senior Jonathan Roach (Norwalk, CT).

The match was back and forth for the remainder of the second half. Elms had a scoring opportunity with 2:30 minutes left in regulation when junior Justin Szwajkowski (Westhampton, MA) took a shot on goal that was pushed aside by Antoch to send the match into overtime.

Szwajkowski was at it again in the first overtime session with another great effort that was thwarted by Antoch.

The game would be decided on a PK call. The Elms keeper was whistled for a foul. After a long conversation between the head ref and his assistant with the referee pointing to the spot, awarding the PK. The home side stepped up and scored to give the Bulldogs their first-ever GNAC win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Elms outshot the Bulldogs 22-10
• The game saw 10 yellow cards, a red card (Dean), and 34 combined fouls
• Szwajkowski led the way in shots with 6

UP NEXT:

Elms will travel to Curry College on Saturday 9/11 at 5:30PM for a non-conference tilt.